Advent Devotion for December 11, 2012

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. “ 1 JOHN 4:7

Emotions, everyone exhibits many different emotions at different times throughout the day, week, month, etc. Our emotions change based on our surrounding, circumstances and people around us. In 1 John 4:7-21 we are called to show love. As Christians we know that God is the source of love, he loved us enough to send his son to live and die for us. Jesus is the example given to us to show what perfect love is. He loved us in life, loved us in death and loves us now. After Christ’s death he sent the Holy Spirit to come upon us, to live in us and give us the power to love; he lives in our hearts and makes us more and more like Christ.

Take time throughout the day today and concentrate on your actions and the ways you present yourself to all those with whom you come in contact. Are you exhibiting the love of Christ through you . . . or do they see something less? If it’s not this kind of love flowing from you to all those you come in contact with, perhaps you need to spend some quality time getting to know God, who is Love, for without Him you cannot truly love anyone!

Prayer: Father, we thank you for this Love you have for me that is larger than I will even know. Teach me to love with Your kind of love. Help me to love beyond my own will and reach out to all those I come in contact with. Lord, show me how You can love so greatly and I struggle to always love those so close to me. Enable me to be Your witness of Love to all those in the community around me. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.